PFT 2019 storyline No. 25: How long will Cam Newton stick with his new throwing motion?

Posted by Mike Florio on June 29, 2019, 10:05 AM EDT

AP

The Panthers’ promising 2018 season imploded, with the most noticeable sign being a Thursday night thrashing in Pittsburgh (which sparked a campaign-killing string of losses) and the more subtle evidence coming from the chronic inability of quarterback Cam Newton to throw the ball down the field, given a shoulder problem that eventually resulted in offseason surgery.

The Panthers privately and publicly exude optimism that the removal of scar tissue has unlocked the shoulder and solved the problem. At the same time, the Panthers and Newton have come up with a funky new throwing motion, which has Cam pulling the ball over the top of his shoulder, almost pressing it up against his head.

Others have successfully tweaked their mechanics in the past, but it’s not easy. Thousands of reps are needed to retrain muscle memory, and there’s still a chance that, once Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald starts chasing Newton around during Week One of the 2019 regular season, Newton will instinctively revert to his old ways.

His old ways weren’t bad ways. He threw the ball well enough to become the league’s MVP in 2015. But now that he’s 30, change becomes necessary to extending his career, given the various shoulder issues he’s had.

Of course, Newton said on the eve of his latest birthday that he’s too old to change his playing style. As he now changes one of the most important aspects of a quarterback’s playing style. If it works, and if he remains healthy, the Panthers could turn the clock back four years, tear up a division that is at best in transition, and potentially twist the road to Miami through Charlotte. If it doesn’t work, the Panthers may start thinking about life after Cam — and they may consider setting the clock forward to their post-Newton existence.

However it goes, it feels like 2019 will either secure Newton’s future in Charlotte or hasten its conclusion, especially since he’s currently averaging $20.7 million per year — far less than the top of the market — with two years left on his contract.

When you throw with all upper body, and no leg drive, all it does is eat at your shoulder. If he doesn’t adjust. That shoulder will continue to be an issue. I have a feeling they knew that by taking Grier this draft.

I remember that 2015 season. 24th ranked passing offence. 16th ranked Qb in yards with future HOFers like Bortles, Fitzpatrick, Winston, Tannehill and Carr ahead of him. 27th in passing percentage. What he did do was throw and run for a lot of TDs, and the Panthers had a 15-1 record.

And then he went 18 for 41 in the SB and an int and the infamous fumble non-recovery.

Cam a nice guy ? Haha, he is a phony, always has been. He is the typical “look at me” athlete, at least until things get tough . When he has played poorly he doesn’t want the media attention then. He becomes sullen, childish, defensive. He doesn’t have the guts to deal with tough questions after a tough defeat. He is not a leader, because he only cares about himself, a true narcissist

That Super Bowl season was an outlier to a career that has been middle of the road. No accuracy to speak of and although he is physically gifted, he could and should have had more seasons like the 2015 season.

tedbundysson says:
June 29, 2019 at 11:48 am
Why do people hate on Newton so much? He seems like such a nice guy…
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While it’s likely that words will fall on deaf and/or disbelieving ears here, Cam and I were at auburn at the same time. Absolutely one of the nicest, most polite, and most gracious people you will ever meet. And I do mean “meet”. He would take time the shake hands with every student on campus, every lunchlady in the cafeteria, and every maintenance guy on a riding mower.

Newton’s high school Strength and conditioning coach, Larry Wilson, is currently a physical therapy patient of mine (yes, he gave me permission to use his name). He alsk vouches for Cam’s sincere politeness. And apparently, both in high school and college Newton tutored underprivileged kids three days a week.

So why does he get so much hate? You tell me. Sure he has a goofy, immature side, but is that really cause to loathe him, revile him, and wish him injury, as some do? People are more complicated than the personas they don for press briefings– keep that in mind.

Football is like boxing in that the opponent goes for the obvious physical weakness and exploits the pain aspect of that weakness. I expect the opposition to beat on that shoulder like a rented mule whenever the opportunity avails itself.

That’s their job. Delivering pain is what they are supposed to do within the confines of the rules.

Dude gets a LOT of hate. I get it. His attitude when losing is a lot of Jay Cutler mixed with a dash Vince Young throwing his pads into the stands. But when he is on fire, it’s a lot of fun to watch. Dude is big and strong and COULD rip a ball down the field. Accuracy aside, it has been fun to watch him win some games when they are clicking. I think the NFL is better when teams are good and players are healthy, hope he gets back to form.

His contentious relationship with reporters puts this guy in a negative light. Him and the beloved Neckbeard have similar stats…actually he has superior stats outside of a .1 percentage difference in completions. He also has an MVP and SB appearance. I dunno, whatever he was doing before seemed to work.

If the Panthers brass thought Cam Newton was done, they would have drafted a better prospect than Will Grier. And arrogance doesn’t determine Cam’s throwing motion. He came into the League on day one with the physical ability to really launch the ball regardless of his footwork and the ability to run over and through people whether it was called or not. Those traits made him a winner and even an MVP. He reverts to those because they come naturally.

Cam Cheating is fool’s gold. If he won’t attend university without cheating and without possession of stolen property and won’t pounce on a fumble in the biggest game of his profession, you know he’s not much a man and even less of a player.

I believe the biggest problems football fans have with Cam Newton is #1 he is a cry baby. A person his size and srength is fine when steamrolling smaller DB’s but when he gets hit, the world is going to end. Then #2 watch at the end of a game the Panthers lose and with a towle over his head he hardly ever exhibits good sportsmanship toward the opposing QB. IMO based on what I have seen with my wn two eyes, he has no class. That is offensive to many people, fans ofr not. Add to that his I’m Superman garbage and you’ve seen enough to know it’s a bout Cam, not the team.